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Posted: 12/25/2006 4:35:24 AM EDT
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Just picked up a rifle to give to dad for Christmas. When I close the bolt and rotate the bolt handle downward to lock the bolt, it sticks before lockup, although using WAY too much force it can be fully closed. Wanted to see if it was the bolt or the rifle, so I swapped it with the bolt out of my own 24/47. My bolt closed in the rifle just fine, so I figured I had a bolt problem. Dropped the supposedly "bad bolt" into my rifle, and it closed with no problems. Switched them back to the weapons they came in, my bolt closes fine in my rifle, dad's does not. Wondering what the deal is, and just how horrendously bad leaving the bolts swapped will be with no way to check headspace. Dire warnings of different wear patterns on bolts from my unit armorer days makes me very wary, but hell if I can throw dad the copy of Talledega Nights I got him and say "gotcha a fucked up MilSurp, ought to have it figured out by March or so". Considering touching off the rifles with about 50 feet of string a dozen times each for safety's sake, but if I blow up my rifle (wife's Xmas for me last year) I'm gonna have heartburn.... Troubleshooting options? |
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I have switched bolts around on some of my K98's just to see lockup and performance. It is not a big deal if you check headspace. Assuming you have no other issues at the very least get a No-Go 8mm gauge. You can get one from many places online reasonably. I have a number of 8mm rifles so I didn't mind buying one but I also got a Go gauge. Even if I had only one rifle, I would still get the gauge. The piece of mind is worth it to me, having experienced a case head separation on a Mini 14 years ago. I would also disassemble the questionable bolt and make sure all is good. While it is apart, clean it well and lube it. There are makes of ammo (1950's Yugo comes to mind) that have stout primers that need a freely traveling firing pin. |
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